Christmas TV feels pinch from computer games and DVDs

The BBC was yesterday celebrating the success of a string of festive television hits with a sepia tinged feel, including Strictly Come Dancing, Doctor Who and The Two Ronnies.

But unofficial viewing figures also suggested that the tradition of gathering the family around the television on Christmas Day is slowly dying out.

Rival forms of entertainment such as games consoles and interactive DVD games contributed to the accelerating trend, with fewer people watching overall and BBC1's share of viewing on Christmas Day plummeting from 42% to 32% in a year. ITV1's share of viewing fell to 20% from 32% last year, with the growth of digital television contributing to falling ratings on the main terrestrial channels. Two thirds of UK households now have access to at least 30 digital channels.

But viewers still tuned in for the BBC's big set pieces, with a new Doctor Who in David Tennant trouncing a celebrity version of Who Wants to be a Millionaire on ITV and EastEnders outdoing Coronation Street in the annual battle of the soaps.

Around 9.4 million tuned in to see Tennant recover from a regeneration-induced torpor to see off the threat of sinister Santas and a killer Christmas tree in an episode with a strong anti-war theme.

The on-off love affair between Kat Slater and Alfie Moon helped EastEnders beat its northern rival and become the most watched show of the day with 10.1 million viewers.

Almost eight million stayed tuned to watch Ronnie Barker's poignant appearance in The Two Ronnies' Christmas Sketchbook, recorded before the comedian's death earlier this year.

Channel 4's decision to provide viewers with a more highbrow peak time choice appeared to backfire. Armida, Judith Weir's operatic love story, was watched by just 300,000, while a two-hour discussion with survivors of the tsunami was seen by 500,000.

The BBC, which traditionally pours money into its Christmas schedule while ITV is less competitive owing to lower investment by advertisers over the period, was also the undisputed victor on Christmas Eve.

A special edition of Strictly Come Dancing was watched by 9 million viewers while 8.3 million tuned in to see the last in the series of Little Britain.